Policy Seminar

Policy Seminar — 7 Credits

The Policy Seminar is the connective tissue of the MPP. Taken across all four semesters of the program, it is where analytical training meets professional practice — and where the MPP cohort comes together as a community of future policy professionals.

Students complete 7 total credits in the Seminar: three credits each semester in their first year, and one credit in their final semester. The course is offered as PUBP 501.

The Seminar curriculum covers systematic policy analysis — examining historical and community context, evaluating the evidence base, and exploring innovative approaches to persistent problems. Case studies in policy creation and implementation give you a front-row seat to how policy actually gets made. And an ongoing series of guest speakers from New Mexico's policy community connects you directly with the practitioners who are doing the work.

In your final semester, the Seminar shifts focus to your Policy Report — providing structure, feedback, and a venue for your oral presentation.